Into the Heart

Soy Nuts . . . positively affect arterial health

It has been shown, that substituting soy nuts for a nonsoy protein diet lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 9.9% and 6.8%, in postmenopausal women with hypertension and by 5.2% and 2.9%, in postmenopausal women without hypertension.

Daily intake of  soy protein/isoflavones can also help reduce the risk of heart disease by generating a reduction in vascular cell adhesion molecule.

An early stage in the development of atherosclerosis is the recruitment of white blood cells (monocytes) into the arterial wall.  Monocytes normally circulate in the blood looking for cellular damage to ingest (remove).  Monocytes attach to the arterial wall at sites of damage or pollution.  The process of removing damaged tissue by monocytes generates tissue inflammation. The recruitment of monocytes to the arterial wall is directed by vascular cell adhesion molecules. Diminishing the activity of vascular cell adhesion molecules helps to supress the inflammatory process underlying atherosclerosis.

Daily intake of soy protein/isoflavones can help generate a reduction in vascular cell adhesion molecule. The results from the study noted below indicate that daily intake of soy protein/isoflavones can help generate a reduction in vascular cell adhesion molecules.

In this study, sixty healthy postmenopausal women (48 without hypertension and 12 with hypertension) consumed a regular diet or a diet in which one half cup of soy nuts (25 g soy protein and 101 mg aglycone isoflavones) replaced 25 grams of nonsoy protein daily. Soy nuts were consumed through out the day.  Each diet was followed for 8 weeks.

Compared with the regular diet alone, levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule were significantly lower on the soy diet in women with hypertension (623.6 vs 553.8 ng/ml). There were no significant differences observed in the group of women without hypertension.

However, soy nuts were associated with a trend toward a reduction in C-reactive protein in the women without hypertension (normotensive). C-reactive protein is a bio-chemical marker of inflammation.

The reduction of vascular cell adhesion molecule with soy nut intake in women with hypertension suggests an improvement in endothelial function (the protective layer of cells that line the lumen of the artery) that may reflect an overall improvement in the inflammatory process underlying atherosclerosis.

Soy nuts are roasted soy beans. They are a tasty and nutritious snack. A one-ounce serving, about one-quarter cup, contains 120 calories, 10 grams of protein, six grams of fiber, four grams of fat, three unsaturated. You can get roasted soy nuts flavored, salted and unsalted. Mixing a quarter cup with freshly popped, unsalted organic popcorn provides a healthy snack.

Source:
Effect of Soy Nuts on Adhesion Molecules and Markers of Inflammation in Hypertensive and Normotensive Postmenopausal Women
Dr. Nasca MM,
Division of Cardiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
The American Journal of Cardiology  2008 Jul 1;102(1):84-6.

Pectin protects the arterial wall

Atherosclerosis is the accumulation of fatty deposits in the arteries. Eventually these fatty deposits become altered and begin to create blockages in the arteries that provide blood to the heart and brain.
However, there is favorable evidence between a reduction in the progression of atherosclerosis and the intake of certain dietary fiber. More specifically, the intake of viscous fiber, especially pectin affords protection against intimal media thickness: the thickening of the arterial wall.

573 participant (47% women) age 40-60 years who did not have heart disease were recruited for a study. The intima-media thickness of the common carotid arteries was measured ultrasonographically at the baseline examination and at two follow-up examinations, dietary intakes were assessed with six 24-hour recalls, blood samples were analyzed at baseline and at both follow-up examinations.

A significant inverse association was observed between intima-media thickness progression and the intake of viscous fiber and pectin. In addition, the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol was inversely related to the intakes of total fiber, viscous fiber and pectin. In short, more dietary soluble fiber (especially pectin) lessens the progression of clogged arteries and has a positive effect on HDL cholesterol.

Soluble or viscous fiber is more concentrated in oats, barley, soybeans, dried beans and peas, prunes and citrus fruit. Insoluble or nonviscous fiber is concentrated in whole wheat and most vegetables.

More about pectin, in an animal study by The University of Florida College of Medicine, subjects were fed a high fat (atherogenic) diet for 360 days. Cholesterol levels rose rapidly. Half the subjects were then fed a diet in which 3% grapefruit pectin was substituted for cellulose, and the remaining subjects maintained the original diet.

Subjects were then examined 270 days later, and the extent of atherosclerosis was determined. Pectin reduced the extent of atherosclerosis in both the aorta and coronary arteries. The mean surface area covered by atherosclerosis in the aorta was 13.6% in the group that did not receive pectin compared with 5.3% in the group that did receive pectin. The mean coronary artery narrowing was 45% without pectin and 24% with pectin.

This study suggests that pectin may have a direct beneficial effect on atherosclerosis independent of cholesterol levels. Prunes are a potent source of pectin. As such, a serving of oatbran with diced prunes is a healthful start to the day.

Source:
Dietary fiber and progression of atherosclerosis: the Los Angeles Atherosclerosis Study
Huiyun Wu, Kathleen M Dwyer
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 78, No. 6, 1085-1091, 2003
 
Inhibition of atherosclerosis by dietary pectin in microswine with sustained hypercholesterolemia
JJ Cerda, SJ Normann, MP Sullivan
Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville.
Circulation, Vol 89, 1247-1253, 1994

Vitamin C . . . strong arteries, strong bones

Research suggests that cardiovascular disease and bone loss are interwoven.

Recently, a 1-year placebo-controlled trial was conducted on middle-aged women with normal or low bone mineral density. Their were twenty subjects in each of three groups. One group took a daily placebo, one group a daily calcium carbonate, and the third group took calcium carbonate combined with vitamin C, vitamin B6 and proline.  Urinary pyridoxic acid (used to assess treatment compliance), plasma homocysteine, serum lipids and lipoproteins were measured before and after nutritional intervention.

At the begining of the study most groups were comparable. At the end of the study, no significant changes had occurred in the placebo group and calcium supplement alone groups.  However the group who took calcium carbonate combined with vitamin C, vitamin B6 and proline had favorable results.  This group achieved a 4% reduction of total cholesterol, a 7% reduction of LDL and a 25% reduction in triglycerides. Additionally, the vitamin C, vitamin B6/proline supplemented group achieved a 14% increase of HDL (the good cholesterol) and a  reduction in homocysteine.

Vitamins C (500 mg) and B6 (75 mg) combined with proline had consistent beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease risk factors: calcium alone did not. As such, for menopausal and postmenopausal  women stepping up nutritional and dietary supplement intervention for nurturing bones will also benefit cardio-vascular health.

Source:
Cardiovascular disease-risk factors in middle-aged osteopaenic women treated with calcium alone or combined to three nutrients essential to artery and bone collagen
Dr Priscilla G. Massé
Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics
Volume 21 Issue 2 Page 117-128, April 2008

Estrogen, Salt Sensitivity and Hypertension

Dietary salt contributes to high blood pressure by increasing blood volume. The heart has to work harder to pump thicker blood which increases blood pressure.

Women are more prone towards high blood pressure at the onset of menopause and postmenopausally. As such, evidence is accumulating in regard to the role of estrogen and high blood pressure (hypertension). A recent study by The University of Texas Health Science Center concluded that estrogen protects against high salt hypertension by attenuating (lessening) the activation of the sympathetic nervous system.

Salt sensitive and salt resistant female rats were fed a 4% NaCl diet. Blood pressure was measured by radiotelemetry. Subjects were divided into three groups: those producing estrogen, not producing estrogen, and those not producing estrogen but supplemented with estrogen replacement. After eight weeks, sympathetic nervous system activation was assessed by urinary excretion of norepinephrine, and by the blood pressure response to ganglionic blockage. Norepinephrine is a biochemical marker of sympathetic nervous system activation.

Subjects not producing estrogen had a significantly higher blood pressure 175 ± 6 mm Hg compared to subjects producing estrogen 153 ± 5 mm Hg. Estrogen replacement in salt sensitive subjects not producing estrogen prevented the increase in blood presure 152 ± 6 mm Hg.

Urinary norepinephrine was significantly greater in subjects not producing estrogen 40 ± 8 ng/ml compared to subjects producing estrogen 21 ± 2 ng/ml.  Estrogen replacement in subjects prevented the increase in norepinephrine excretion 20 ± 1 ng/ml.

In salt sensitive subjects, the fall in blood pressure with ganglionic blockage was increased in those not producing estrogen compared to those producing estrogen, which was prevented with estrogen replacement.

This study concluded that estrogen loss augments (increases), and estrogen replacement attenuates(lessens) the effect of the sympathetic nervous system to hypertension in salt sensitive subjects on a high salt diet.

Postmenopausal women naturally experience a loss of estrogen which may predispose some women to high blood pressure. A low sodium diet at midlife is beneficial to arterial health/function.

Source:
Effect of estrogen on sympathetic nervous system activation in high salt hypertension
Carmen Hinojosa-Laborde, Cindy Mehring and Teresa Craig   Anesthesiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
The FASEB Journal. 2008;22:941.7